Closure device



Dec. 8, 1942. F. 5. MARSHALL CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Dec. 28, 1940 Patented Dec. 8, 1942 2,304,364 CLOSURE DEVICE Frederick George Marshall, Leamington Spa, England, assignor to Constant Speed Airscrews Limited, Warwick, England v Application December 28, 1940, Serial No. 372,157

In Great Britain September 7, 1939 6 Claims. -5 01. 220-55) This invention relates to an improved self-retaining closure device for orifices such, for ex-' ample, as the opening which is sometimes provided in the nose of the spinner of an airscrew, or the filling orifices of petrol and like containers and the like.

More particularly, the invention relates to closure devices of the kind and for the purposes referred to consisting of a hollow plug or stopper provided with radially movable sprin loaded taining'members which when the closure device is inserted in the orifice are first forced back in a radial direction by co-action with the edge of the orifice and against the spring pressure, and which H afterwards are forced outwards radially by the spring pressure so as to protrude through openings in the cylindrical portion of the closure device to retain the latter in its operative position in the orifice.

According to the present invention the improved closure device is distinguished from existing devices of a similar type in that the retaining members are moved into and held in their operative positions to retain the said device in the orifice,

by means of spring pressure acting along the axis I of the closure device instead of at right angles to said axis as hitherto.

The improved closure device is further characterized in that all the retaining members are actuated simultaneously and to an equal extent Figure 1 shows the improved closure device applied to the nose of a spinner for airscrews.

Figures 2 and 3 are views in axial plane section and plan respectively of the improved closure device per se.

The improved closure device consists briefly of a hollow plug or stopper having openings in the cylindrical portion throughwhich rollers normally protrude under the influence of spring pressure,

said rollers being temporarily forced inwardly against such pressure during the insertion of the device into the orifice or, opening to be closed thereby.

According to the specific construction shown in the drawing the body a of the improved closure device is of a hollow cup shape having an outwardly flanged free edge and a diameter which is a push fit in the hole or orifice to be closed thereby. Mounted centrally in the base of the said body is a short pin b having a head or flange 27 at its free end. Between the head of the pin and a spider 0 arranged co-axially with the latter is'a compression spring (1. The arms of the spider are each formed to partially embrace a loose roller e each of which is adapted to protrude through an opening 1 in the side of the body a. The said rollers are of barrel shape the convexity corresponding with the curvature of the hole 'or orifice to be closed and are free to rotate about axes at right angles to lines radiating from the central pin b. In order to facilitate assembly the rollers are carried by a split spring ring g which when contracted draws the rollers inwardly and through the sides of the device. When the device is inserted in position to close a holeor opening the rollers are first pressed inwardly by the edge of the hole against the action of the said spring but after passing the said edge the rollers are again forced outwardly and effectually lock the device in position.

The improved closure device can be readily removed by inserting the fingers or a suitable tool under the flanged end of the body and exerting a pull sufficient to cause the rollers to be forced inwardly by co-action with the edge of the hole against the action of the spring.

The rollers may be made of fibre or of any other suitable material.

Where the improved closure device is used to close a hole formed about the axis of a rotating part, such, for example, as the airscrew spinner i shown in Figure 1, the effect of centrifugal force operates to assist in maintaining the rollers in their operative or locking positions, said rollers having a tendency to fly outwardly after the manner of a ball governor within the limits allowed by the size of the openings 3 in the sides of the body a of the said device.

I claim:

1. A device of the character and for the purposes described comprising a hollow plug having a series of orifices in the peripheral wall thereof, a series of rollers arranged within said plug and normally protruding through said orifices, a split spring ring supporting said series of rollers concentrically about the axis of said plug and means acting in the direction of said axis and exerting a resilient outward pressure on said rollers.

2. A device of thecharacter and for the purposes described comprising a hollow circular body part closed at one end and having a series of orifices in the peripheral wall thereof, a series of rollers arranged within said body part andto be closed, said device comprising a plug having a hollow body for insertion into said orifice, said body being formed with a series of openings in its peripheral wall, a series of rollers having their axes respectively disposed substantially tangentially of a circle concentric with the axis of said body and respectively arranged within said body and normally protruding through said openings respectively for free rolling contact with the .wall of an orifice into or from which said plug may be inserted or withdrawn, spreader means disposed within said plug and engaging said rollers, and resilient means exerting pressure yieldingly in the direction of the axis of said body and forcing said spreader means into engagement with said rollers to cause them to move radially of said body to extreme spread position relative to each other wherein they are in their extreme protruded position.

4. A closure device for insertion into an orifice to be closed, said device comprising a plug having a hollow body for insertion into said orifice, said body being formed with a series of openings in its peripheral wall, a series of rollers artive axes substantially tangential of a circle concentric with the axis of said body and normally respectively protruding through said openings respectively, radially yieldable means for rotatably supporting said series of rollers concentrically about the axis of said body and means exerting a resilient pressure on said rollers and tending to force the latter radially outwardly to their extreme protruded positions. 7

5. A closure device for insertion into an orifice to be closed, said device comprising a plug having a hollow body for insertion in, said orifice, said body being formed with a series of openings in its peripheral Wall, a series of rollers having their axes respectively disposed substantially tangentially of a circle concentric with the axis of said body and respectively arranged within said body and normally protruding through said openings for free rolling contact with the wall of an orifice into or from which said plug may be inserted or withdrawn, a pin fixed co-axially within said body, a spreader means loosely slidably mounted on said pin, normally loaded resilient means confined between a portion of said pin and said spreader means and acting to force said spreader means against said rollers and tending to force said rollers to spread to their respective extreme radially outer positions.

6. A closure device for insertion into an orifice to be closed, said device comprising a hollow body formed with a series of openings in its peripheral wall, a series of rollers arranged within said body and respectively partially protruding through said openings respectively, yielding means for supporting said series of rollers concentrically about the axis of said body, a pin fixed co-axially within said body, a plate freely slidably mounted on said pin and having outwardly inclined surfaces bearing against said rollers and tending to force them radially outwardly to their respective extreme protruding positions, and resilient means engaging said pin and said plate and forcing said plate into engagement with said rollers.

FREDERICK GEORGE MARSHALL, 

